The Playbook Podcast

Democrats have spent over $20 million dollars on Epstein-related ads. Will it be enough to flip the Senate? Then the other stories animating Washington: President Trump boasts about making a fortune on oil while Americans pay more at the pump, Rep. Haley Stevens offers a tepid endorsement of Abdul El-Sayed and Barack Obama delivers a Cheesecake Factory-sized insult to Trump.  For more news an...

Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon joins Dasha for a wide-ranging conversation about her historic campaign and the Democratic Party’s future. Nixon had sharp words for her own party, arguing that Democrats have taken Black voters for granted and the party needs to have a “long conversation” about the state of Black voters in the party, or else it will continue to ‘hemorrhage’ voters.&nb...

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at a Charlotte diner for a candid conversation about his new book, his decision to leave the Senate and the future of the Republican Party.     Tillis reflects on his votes to confirm President Trump’s Cabinet nominees, argues that the president’s advisers should be replaced and says Republicans need to show more independence fro...

Republicans are drawing an unlikely comparison between Democratic Florida Senate nominee Angie Nixon and President Donald Trump. What does Nixon’s appeal reveal about the state of Florida politics — and the Democratic Party’s struggle to win there? Then the other stories animating Washington: Vivek Ramaswamy’s controversial attack ad keeps making waves, as Trump and JD Vance come to his defen...

America’s Breadbasket needs bread. Soaring diesel prices and fertilizer costs are putting the squeeze on farmers who voted for President Donald Trump, prompting some to rethink their Republican loyalties. Then the other stories animating Washington: Jon Husted’s backside becomes an unlikely campaign talking point, a potential challenger to Sen. John Fetterman teases a potential Senate bid, and Elo...

Vivek Ramaswamy’s new attack ad on Democratic opponent Amy Acton has ignited a firestorm in Ohio. The backlash points to a much bigger problem for Republicans: finding a closing message that connects with voters. Then the other stories animating Washington: President Donald Trump sidesteps questions about endorsing Vice President JD Vance for 2028 and Trump reportedly considers replacing the...

Elon Musk isn’t on the ballot, but he’s once again becoming a central figure in the midterms. Democrats hoping to reclaim the House majority are already signaling that he’ll be a major target of congressional oversight if they win. Then the other stories animating Washington: Sen. Thom Tillis has a countdown clock ticking toward “whoop-ass,” the palace intrigue surrounding Susie Wiles shows no sig...

Ohio could be a bellwether for the future of a GOP-controlled Senate. In the final weeks toward the midterm, can Republicans shore up their red walls in states like Ohio and Iowa before they crumble? Then the other stories animating Washington: Abdul El-Sayed hits back at ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ questions and Hollywood is rolling out the red carpet for James Talarico. Plus, what Playbook is...

Democratic socialists Melat Kiros and Darializa Avila Chevalier each defeated a longtime Democratic incumbent to win their deep-blue primaries. They’re among a handful of Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates who scored surprise victories this election season. Now they’re poised to enter Congress, where they say they want to use their power to push for a bolder agenda and hold the Tru...

In the final weeks toward the midterms, can Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed earn favor from some Black and Jewish voters who have felt skeptical of his campaign? Then the other stories animating Washington: Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries faces a potential revolt from new progressive candidates preparing for Washington, a new poll reveals the top concern of voters (hint: it's not the economy), and Kat...

President Trump is privately calling allies, soliciting their opinions about his once untouchable chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Playbook has exclusive reporting on sharks circling around Wiles – and the names Trump is floating to possibly take her place. Then the other stories animating Washington: Trump’s deal with Putin has Zelenskyy feeling betrayed, Bernie Sanders and AOC are hitting the campai...

Top Republicans are quietly preparing for a midterm wipeout, shifting resources to save the Senate. Then the other stories animating Washington: new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has a shaky start, more Republicans are breaking with Trump ahead of the midterms, and Keke Palmer asks Kamala Harris: are you running in 2028?   For more news and analysis, subscribe to the Pl...

Three weeks out from the midterms and Democrats in some of the most competitive races are walking tall towards Election Day. Purple state candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Chris Pappas are touting what they see as easy wins, but how far will their confidence take them? Then the other stories animating Washington: Democratic donors lament Kamala Harris' “wasted year,” U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kim...

Dasha sits down with Rep. Byron Donalds, the Florida Republican nominee for governor, for a special midterms edition of the show.  As Republicans face headwinds over affordability and rising costs tied to the war with Iran, Donalds explains how he can support President Trump while still disagreeing with him. He says Trump doesn’t want “yes men” and that he’s “allowed to have my own viewpoint”...

Rep. Byron Donalds is making a play for Black voters in a new ad shared exclusively with POLITICO. What does his campaign tell us about the battle for Black voters this midterm election — and what are Democrats doing to win this voting bloc back? Then the other stories animating Washington: James Talarico has been sidelined by the flu and a South Carolina Democrat responds to anti-transgender...

Knives are out for MAGA Inc.’s top two globetrotting advisers, Chris LaCivita and James Blair. Does this open the duo to take the fall if a blue wave materializes in November? Then the other stories animating Washington: Marco Rubio sounds presidential in Athens, despite saying he doesn’t have plans to run in 2028, Mike Rogers takes aim at Trump in his latest ad and a political kink controver...

Republicans appear on the verge of losing the Latino voter coalition that helped carry President Donald Trump in 2024. But that doesn’t mean they’re embracing Democrats. Then the other stories animating Washington: several tech companies fund Trump’s effort to accelerate AI, Abdul El-Sayed taps into Flock anxieties in a new attack ad against Mike Rogers, and the Kansas Senate seat is now a toss-up...

Nearly a decade after leaving the White House, Barack Obama is still one of the Democratic Party’s most powerful political assets. Then the other stories animating Washington: Open AI CEO Sam Altman faces heat after his POLITICO interview, a suspected pneumonic plague case in Russia has U.S. officials watching closely, and what Trump's latest Truth Social posts say about the GO...

In audio from a private meeting obtained by Playbook, Ken Paxton tells donors he’s never felt less in control of a campaign, as he trails Democrat James Talarico in Texas. Plus in other news: Sam Altman says he’d love to see less money in politics, even as AI money floods the midterms and Pete Buttigieg tests a message that sounds a lot like a preview of 2028.  F...

In this special midterms edition of “The Conversation with Dasha Burns,” Adam Hamilton, the pastor and Democratic candidate challenging Sen. Roger Marshall, sits down with Dasha at a campaign office in Kansas to discuss why he thinks the race is competitive – and why he believes a moderate, bridge-building approach can win over voters in this deeply Republican state. Hamilton talks about the cost...

A Democratic pastor running for Senate in Kansas says Kamala Harris should stay in California, told Chuck Schumer he is a liability and is taking the "woke" label head on. Playbook hears from Adam Hamilton and what his campaign could tell us about the Democrats' appeal to the heartland. Then the other stories animating Washington: Sen. Thom Tillis’ unfiltered texts to the...

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is making his case for 2028. Playbook speaks to the governor on why he thinks a red-state Democrat has a competitive edge and what sets him apart from potential Republican 2028-er, Vice President JD Vance. Then the other stories animating Washington: Sen. Eric Schmitt’s post hearing fallout continues, AI turns its back on President Donald Trump and mosquitoes make Trump’...

The race for governor in Nevada is an early proving ground for the Democratic Party’s next generation as 2028 hopefuls descend on the state. Then the other stories animating Washington: A Republican senator’s attempted gotcha of Jack Smith goes spectacularly sideways, Sherrod Brown has a new attack ad in Ohio featuring some decidedly non-Midwestern language and Kristi Noem files for divo...

The 2018 midterms had the Squad. Now, a new generation of progressive insurgents is already organizing its successor: “the Bloc.” But what happens when they run headlong into House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries? Then the other stories animating Washington: President Donald Trump heads to red states to campaign ahead of the midterms, critics question who the MAHA S...

"Front Row Joes" were some of President Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters, traveling across the country on his campaign trail. Now some are disillusioned with his presidency. We asked some of them why. Then the other stories animating Washington this morning: New polls show Abdul El-Sayed running ahead of Mike Rogers, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Sca...